Residents inDelhicontinued to struggle under intense heatwave conditions on Friday as the city recorded its warmest May night in nearly 14 years on Thursday, with weather experts warning that the scorching spell is likely to continue for at least another week.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning. This was 5.2 degrees above normal and the highest May night temperature recorded in the city since May 26, 2012, when the minimum temperature had touched 32.5 degrees Celsius.
The extreme heat has left people exhausted even during nighttime, with many residents complaining of sleepless nights as temperatures refused to cool down after sunset. During the day, several parts of the city continued to record temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, while hot winds from Rajasthan and parts of Pakistan further worsened conditions.
Delhi Heawave Alert (AI Generated Image, Info: IMD)
The weather department has issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning that heatwave conditions are expected to continue over the next seven days. Maximum temperatures are likely to remain around 44 to 45 degrees Celsius till May 27, while minimum temperatures may stay close to 30 to 32 degrees Celsius.
Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while Ridge area remained the hottest in the city at 45.3 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar recorded 44.5 degrees Celsius, while Palam and Lodhi Road both registered maximum temperatures of 44.3 degrees Celsius.
Officials said Delhi has been witnessing heatwave conditions for four consecutive days. According to IMD rules, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius and remains significantly above normal levels.
Weather experts said the situation is becoming more severe because dry northwesterly winds are continuously sweeping into Delhi from the Thar Desert region. These winds carry intense heat and prevent cooling, trapping hot air close to the surface.
Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said the city is also witnessing unusually warm nights because the ground is unable to release the heat accumulated during the day.
“The ground does not get sufficient time to release the accumulated heat, leading to persistently warm nights. There is no forecast of thunderstorms or pre-monsoon rainfall activity over the next 10 days, which is further worsening the situation,” he said.
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